A Lone War
by Mkau427
Summary: The High Templar Zaramis begins a mission to eradicate a Zerg planet, only to face a troubling turn of events. Not just a battle story. Please R&R!
1. The Beginning

The beginning. 

The High Templar Zaramis glanced at his troops. His army of zealots and dragoons stood confident and prepared, staring at the bleak horizon, awaiting battle. Their numbers, though small, was filled with the experienced and elite, known throughout Aiur for standing their ground, regardless the fact the lack of more better technological units. It was their renowned ferocity and skill that disregarded the use the need for better units, but most of all it was their leader. It was the High Templar Zaramis that lead his army through countless victories. His confidence assured his troops even through the darkest times, his courage triumphed over slim odds, and his honor earned him the respect and loyalty of every single member, even rivaling their loyalty to Aiur. 

This battle was no different than any other as the silent troops stood tall on the planet Mauz. The once lush jungle outpost planet was one of the many that fell to the advancing Zerg , and although most of the ever mobile enemy had left, significant numbers still remained. It was up to Zaramis to eradicate the threat, despite the overwhelming disadvantage of fewer units. His mission started with the destruction of a nearby base, a small, yet well defended one on the outer fringes of the initial Zerg landing. It would be the first of many to be conquered by Zaramis's army.

Zaramis stood, stern and silent as usual, ready to take on the a whole planet of Zerg…….. 


	2. The Commencement

The Commencment.

The revolting organic creep pulsated through the zealots and dragoons legs, seeming to beckon death with every beat. Zaramis stood behind his troops, observing each of it's members with confidence and satisfaction. His army, silent and disciplined did not show a quiver of fear. He saw the confident zealots, standing tall, their glistening body armor shimmering within the two beating suns. Their deadly blades drawn from the focused concentration of their psionic energies. He moved on to the powerful dragoons, the mechanical structure, giving rebirth to his fallen brethren. Zaramis watched them flex their powerful legs, knowing the awesomeness of their power. He wondered to himself how can his other Protoss comrades resort to the other units. He was always disgusted from the begging with the introduction of the other new units. He denied the use of scouts, hated the carriers, loathed the use of reavers. What is the glory in that? What can top the fierce power of his zealots tearing flesh with their deadly blades, or the minor explosions caused by the antiparticle phase disruptor of the dragoons, burning their enemies? The high templar shook his head of disapproval, but nevertheless focused back on the situation on hand.

The Zerg home base on the planet was only a short distance away. Zaramis faced a fortified base and a defending army made up of zerglings, hydralisks, and mutalisks, not to mention sunken colonies. He knew that this would be a tough battle with his army of about thirty zealots and twenty dragoons. Maybe he would even have to unleash powers of his own, a situation rarely ever needed by Zaramis. Without having to do anything but nod, his army was on the move. A formation of a solid barrier line, the zealots in front and dragoons in close back for supporting fire advanced slowly in the direction of the base. Marching like rolling thunder, the made their way closer until finally the base was in view. Zaramis saw a few sunken colonies, with their tentacles flailing about, the blistering spawning pool, and their disgusting hive among other buildings, all on the festering creep. 

It wasn't long before the Zerg had spotted their troops as they waited just outside the base. The army had just made it right outside the radius of the sunken colony's tentacles when the ground unearthed. Mounds of dirt lifted as the crumbling earth revealed burrowed zerglings and hydralisks. They emerged roaring and screeching with a primal fury, advancing toward the Protoss threat. As they came closer and closer, the dauntless Protoss stood prepared and calm, the zealots clenching their psionic blades, the dragoons warming up the antiparticle blasts. As the Zerg nearly got in range, High Templar Zaramis let out a mighty war cry.

"FOR AIUR!"

The troops responded back in whelps and yells, the words "For Aiur!" resounding down the front. The dragoons senses ready to attack, the zealots going into an almost blind rage, their psionic blades pulsing from the excess energy. The zerglings were only feet away, inching closer and closer, the ravaging talons threatening the zealots.

The army waited calmly for the onslaught……..


	3. The Assault

The Assault

The zealot raised his arm and brought it down with such power and fury that the focused psionic blade pierced the somewhat hard exoskeleton of the zerglings, and penetrated into it's soft flesh, instantly killing it. Across the battlefield zergling masses were suffering the same fate as the zealots drew their bloody blades from the zerglings, plunging it into the next. Zergling blood splattered over the zealots armor, while even their outer psionic shields remained in healthy condition. The dragoons too made quick work of the oncoming zerglings as their phase disruptors released bolt after bolt of energy. 

Nevertheless, the zerglings rushed forward relentlessly, feeling no fear. More concerning was the advancing hydralisks, their ranged corrosive spines could easily kill Zaramis's occupied army if not dealt with. As they approached the dragoons continued their blasts, the zealots in their crazed frenzy ravaged the zerglings. Zaramis satisfied with the battle so far, relaxed behind his troops, although something was bothering him in the back of his mind. A strong psychic presence seemed to exist. The high templar could not identify the presence yet, not even knowing if it belonged to an ally or enemy. He struggled to find out what it was, but focused back on the battle as the hydralisks reached the frontlines.

The hydralisks entered with a volley of poisonous spines, corroding the shields of the protoss army. They troops frantically and furiously pushed forward through the masses of zerglings, desperate to relinquish the hydralisk threat. 

With piles of bloodied zergling bodies in their wake, they finally reached the slithering hydralisks. Weakened from the spines, the army began feeling the corrosive needles burning their flesh, as their shields began to wear. 

The zealot ferocity and dragoon power prevailed though, eliminating the hydralisks, who collapsed into puddles of blood. Just as the army began finishing off the remaining ground troops, a foul screech defiled the air.

"Mutalisks…" Zaramis thought to himself.

The ugly swarm of winged creatures made their way to the army, the last line of Zerg defense for the base. They reached the Protoss, launching their miserly wurms. The toxic ball of filth ricocheted between the units, damaging both the dragoons and defenseless zealots. The zealots did their best to avoid the wurms, hiding under the dragoon's massive legs. The lumbering mechanisms of lost souls fired the surges of energy at the swarming mutalisks, one by one killing each as they exploded in a midst of blood. 

It was an obvious win for Zaramis, although the dying mutalisks began killing some units. Weakened from the ground fight before hand, zealots dissipated into the air as the souls began a new leg of their journey. Dragoons bodies collapsed as fluids oozed from the life support systems holding their fallen warrior. Zaramis felt the psychic links severed from each of his men as the fell. He completely understood the consequences of war, but still regretted every loss of life.

Soon the last of the mutalisks had fallen. Zaramis lost few of his army, in fact, by war standards for the ratio of his men to the Zerg, he lost an outstandingly minimal amount of his troops. Still it was too much for Zaramis

The high templar, who had remained mostly silent and emotionless throughout the ordeal, finally moved to prepare the eradication of the rest of the base. A few buildings stood, along with a some mindless drones, who had mindlessly did their work amongst the fray. Zaramis ordered his army to start destroying the zerg buildings.

While watching his troops attack the buildings diligently, more like a chore than anything, the psychic presence he had felt before had come back, this time stronger. He focused on it, but still couldn't make it out. It grew stronger and stronger, seeming to approach closer to him every second. The ground started trembling, and faint roars came from the back of the base. The alarmed army and Zaramis turned to the direction of the sounds and a faint gasp came across the fearless army. In the path a gigantic, vile, spiraling green cavern, spawning place for ultraisks.

In moments, massive ultraists started emerging from the dank recesses of the cavern, wielding gigantic deadly talons, capable of destructing anything in it's path. The weakened army gathered together, awaiting commands from Zaramis, for although the odds were heavily against them, they would fight to the death.

Zaramis's head was pounding from the psychic presence, unclear in his thoughts. He watched as more of the behemoths piled out the cavern. He was pressured by his army for an order, although with the psychic interferences, could not make a clear decision. His pride for glory instinctively whispered,

"For Aiur…,"The Protoss army chanted in response without doubt nor fear,

"FOR AIUR!" Despite the fact that a platoon of zealots and dragoon were to take on powerful ultraists, they trusted their leader an any decision he would make. 

The zealots charged the titanic ultraists, with the slower dragoons close behind. The monstrosities roared ready for the fight as well. Despite the oncoming battle, something else worried Zaramis.

The psychic presence only grew stronger…….


	4. The Betrayal

Betrayal

As each zealot and dragoon took one step closer to the vicious beasts the psionic presence only pounded stronger in Zaramis's mind. He became unfocused, distraught, completely unaware of what would be the massacre of his troops, crippled to aid them.

The zealot closest plodded closer and closer to the ultralisk, fearless in his beserked state. He ventured closer smelling the gargantuan beast's rancid odor. 

As the zealot raised his blade, ready to attack, a small mechanism, engulfed in astounding energy skimmered past, zigzagging it's way to the ultralisk. The mechanism found it's target, releasing a massive explosion of energy. The blast successfully damaged and faltered the nearly invurnable ultralisk, but also completely incinerating the zealot, damaging others nearby.

Zaramis turned to see the origin of the blast, shocked to see the mechanical reavers he so loathed, and numerous shuttles unloading them. Finally the presence became clear as the interfering commander telepathically revealed himself. From his carrier miles above the planet Mauz,

"Entaro Adun Zaramis."

The high templar recognized the commander as Alker, a young brash commander who had quickly ascended the ranks. His heavy arsenal of reavers and carriers were renowned for their massive power.

Zaramis knew the disrespect for not responding the universal greeting, but he was infuriated that his own peer had killed a member of his army. Truly it was a dishonorable way to die.

"You have just killed one of my men Alker!"

"Sacrifices of war Zaramis, they are in my way." Zarmis could picture the arrogant smirk on Alker's face, angering him more. "Now, let me show you what a real battle is like."

The high templar watched in horror as the reavers slowly got in formation, targeting the ultraists that were already engaged in fight with his army. They were too frenzied in battle to notice what was to come.

"Alker the blast would destroy my troops!" 

"If that's what it takes to eradicate the zerg……so be it."

The rows of reavers launched their deadly scarabs, making their way to the ultralisks. The explosions teared away the flesh of the monstrous behemoths, but also instantly ended the lives of zealots and dragoons close in range.

Zaramis was furious, as his emotions got the best of him. He watched the soulless reavers end each of the lives of his men, added more and more fury. His anger mounted as reason left. 

The bombardment continued until finally not a single living soul was on the battlefield, just huge piles of ultralisk remains and remnants of the automated dragoon bodies. 

Zaramis sensed Alker's chuckling face, proud of what he just accomplished. 

It was this that pushed Zaramis over the edge…….. 


	5. The Retaliation

Retaliation

Emotions flooded the high templar as all sense of control left. Zaramis could no longer restrain his powers as they acted upon his anger and his instincts and not his thoughts.

He began focusing his psychic energies, which was surging at the time. With it he began disrupting the particles in the air above the attacking reavers. Soon powerful psychic ripples began shredding at the mechanical beasts. Under the intense psionic storm they tried to escape, but they were much too slotherly to make it out in time. One by one they began blowing up under the crushing psychic energies.

Zaramis finally gained back control, exhausted from conjuring up the storm. Few reavers remained, regrouping from the attack.

"You FOOL Zaramis! You have just interfered with the direct orders of the Conclave! There is much you do not know about this planet and you heretic actions have just endangered plans!

"Much I do not know?" Zaramis thought to himself, puzzled. Alker had heard his thoughts.

"Yes, and now, because of you, Aiur may be in grave danger! Under the rulings of the Conclave you shall be escorted back to Auir. There your loyalty will be questioned and the Judicators will decide your fate. Now turn yourself in!" Alker seemed to be almost screaming in his telepathic message.

Zaramis knew the Judicators were not lenient beings, and his punishment would surely be death. But running away would brand him an outcast and ruin his name forever. He would no longer be welcomed amongst his peers. 

If Zaramis had been clear in his thoughts, he surely would have picked the latter, as any hournable person would do. But the high templar was dazed and confused. He was mainly acting on instinct, and at that time it meant saving himself.

As he looked for an escape route the remaining reavers had already targeted him, awaiting his surrender. All exits seemed blocked and Zaramis began to lose hope. He looked towards the Zerg base. The dead ultralisks and his army littered the creep, but behind them he saw a glimmer of hop. A badly damaged nydus canal still stood a possible escape, although Zaramis was unsure if it would work. In desperation, he decided to go for it.

With the last of his psychic energies, Zaramis summoned a hallucination of himself. The replicate ran towards the reavers in a menacing fashion while he broke for the nydus canal. It worked, the reavers took the bait attacking the clone and ignoring the escaping templar. 

By the time Zaramis had made it to the edge of the base, the reavers took had killed the hallucination and took notice of the real Zaramis. They quickly began loading into the shuttles, ready to give chase. Zaramis made his way towards the back of the base where the canal rested, though his fatigued body were no match to the shuttle's ion thrusters which rapidly gained ground on him. He began getting closer, not losing any speed, although the shuttles were already almost directly above him. 

He made it to the looming, dark canal entrance, hesitating to go in. The unloading reavers quickly changed his mind. Zaramis closed his eyes, bracing for any pain as he slowly stepped in the darkness.

A scarab, engulfed with energy was already close behind him……


End file.
